Agenda and minutes

To receive declarations of interest from any members with respect to an item of business.

There were no declarations of interest declared.

To receive a verbal update on the planning and preparation for the revision of the RE Local Agreed Syllabus, including the following:

·       A discussion and feedback relating to the current Local Agreed Syllabus.

The purpose of the ASC meetings was to plan and prepare for the new Local RE Agreed Syllabus which was due to be released to schools in September 2026.

The Chair asked members present to provide feedback on the current syllabus and provide any potential suggestions for changes, during which the following was discussed:

·      The RE Advisor to SACRE felt that the sub-group needed to be careful and operate caution, it was felt that there was already a solid syllabus in place and associated units of work that followed the scheme of work for primary schools. Concerns were raised that although changes to the syllabus were required to ensure the syllabus was in line with RE changes, the curriculum had taken a long time to establish, and any drastic changes may prevent teachers from being unable to keep up with the changes.

·      One member raised a concern around the lack of explain and detail relating to world views and it was felt that more involvement was required in the work schemes to relate them more to world views. During the last iteration of the curriculum review it was felt world views was incorporated into the current curriculum. It was felt in reality that experience was that what was being taught was not what would be expected if teaching from a world viewpoint. The Religious Council for England and Wales released information explaining how teaching would views should start with questions and not facts or information, evidence of this had not been seen in schools.

·      Teachers present advised that from an RE point of view, world views and teaching in that specific way was in it’s infancy, ensuring teachers, specifically non-specialist teachers understand the direction described was on-going.

·      SACRE wanted to ensure that the syllabus would include all world views to highlight that all world views were important and valid. It was agreed that more context would be added to the syllabus relating to the world view approach, to assist teachers to make the required adjustment. Work schemes would also be clear that in relation to world views, the starting point should be the questioning.

·      The SEND representative available advised that the current syllabus was felt to be good from a SEND perspective, specifically the inquiry-based approach and content that was provided to non-specialists.

·      Although SEND schools used the agreed syllabus, they had to adapt it to suit SEND children and young people, therefore they would look at RE in a sense setting and how they could use the current Rotherham agreed syllabus to deliver early years foundation stage to key stage two children with SEND requirements.

·      SEND schools faced a challenge when relating the current agreed syllabus to the cognitive ability for SEND children and it could be difficult for SEND children to access the current syllabus. It was suggested that the agreed syllabus should have an early year’s approach to assist with this. Examples were provided of thinking and deeper learning, more inquiry-based questions through early years to assist  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

To receive a verbal update on the next steps of the process to revise the RE Local Agreed Syllabus and for Members to consider the following:

·       For SACRE ASC members to consider and/or approve the revision of the Agreed Local Syllabus and the agreed next steps in the process.

·       In relation to the process of reviewing the agreed syllabus, it was felt that SACRE did not want to invest a great deal or time into renewing the agreed syllabus as it may not be widely used, although the statutory part of the agreed syllabus was required to be revised.

·       The following members present were happy to provide their experience in the form of a further sub-group, to update the statutory part of the agreed syllabus and to identify what required changing, what could be kept and what required the inclusion of further detail:

o   Hannah Lambert (Chair of SACRE)

o   Tricia Williams (Bahá?í representative on SACRE)

o   Vanessa Gregory (Specialist RE Advisor to SACRE).

·       The sub-group would meet face-to-face before the next SACRE ASC meeting in December, and an update from the sub-group would be presented back to the next SACRE ASC in December.

·       It was felt that it would be important to ensure a Muslim representative would be invited to take part in the sub-group.

·       The Chair would contact a member of the group who was unable to be present at the meeting to inform them of the further sub-group and ask whether they would like to be involved.

Agreed Actions: That SACRE ASC agree that-

1)    That SACRE ASC form a further sub-group to lead on the updating of the statutory part of the agreed syllabus and to identify what required changing, what could be kept and what required the additional detail adding.

2)    That the sub-group meet face-to-face before the next SACRE ASC meeting in December

3)    That an update from the sub-group be provided at the next SACRE ASC in December.

4)    That the sub-group seek and invite a representative of Islam to be part of the sub-group.

5)    That the Chair contact’s the Humanist representative of the SACRE ASC to invite them to take part in the sub-group.

6)    That the feedback from this meeting be provided to the next SACRE meeting on the 18 September 2025 and an invitation to join the further sub-group is extended to all SACRE members at the September meeting.

To determine any items which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no other business raised.